I get restless in my appearance sometimes. Especially as I begin, yet again, to try and lose weight. It makes me contemplate changing SOMETHING: dying my hair, getting a new piercing, or often contemplating a new tattoo (I only have one, but it's fun to think about). And today while scrolling through ideas for some small tattoo i could get soon with limited consequences, but without remorse, a happy and odd thought struck me:
The guy who raped me I had known for years. My church had an extensive youth program. While I was a member of the church, many of the attendees were simply community youth and teens who needed a safe place to do homework, watch movies, hang out, like him. He had graduated and become a volunteer by the time the incident with me happened. That's a whole other story... but he had been so proud of the program, so grateful and connected to the church for being this great influence in his life, that he had tattooed the name of the church (Messiah) in big, bold gothic letters down his side.
When I finally came forward a couple years later, I asked that he not be allowed around anymore. And the church agreed that if someone had been hurt in such a way, he wasn't someone they wanted around children. They kept it relatively quiet, saying that until the police investigation had been completed, they couldn't allow him on the premises (though, by the end, despite the police findings, they still asked him not to return because they thankfully believed me).
I am oddly comforted that years later, he most likely still bears a large tattoo of a place he's not allowed to return to because of his actions. It is my small victory that he lost something, at least.
Are there any other stories of results, consequences, etc that comfort you about people who've abused, assaulted, or victimized you?
The guy who raped me I had known for years. My church had an extensive youth program. While I was a member of the church, many of the attendees were simply community youth and teens who needed a safe place to do homework, watch movies, hang out, like him. He had graduated and become a volunteer by the time the incident with me happened. That's a whole other story... but he had been so proud of the program, so grateful and connected to the church for being this great influence in his life, that he had tattooed the name of the church (Messiah) in big, bold gothic letters down his side.
When I finally came forward a couple years later, I asked that he not be allowed around anymore. And the church agreed that if someone had been hurt in such a way, he wasn't someone they wanted around children. They kept it relatively quiet, saying that until the police investigation had been completed, they couldn't allow him on the premises (though, by the end, despite the police findings, they still asked him not to return because they thankfully believed me).
I am oddly comforted that years later, he most likely still bears a large tattoo of a place he's not allowed to return to because of his actions. It is my small victory that he lost something, at least.
Are there any other stories of results, consequences, etc that comfort you about people who've abused, assaulted, or victimized you?
